A Comforting Touch
by Hayy6747
Summary: Lin gives Korra some life changing advice, something that she never thought would be possible. Maybe she was in love with the wrong brother all along. Takes place around the time of book 2. Makorra/Borra Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

"You're crazy!" Mako yelled at Korra. Her eyes shut, wanting to close out everything that was happening.

"The least you could do is look at me when I talk to you!" Korra opened her eyes lazily, a new batch of tears springing from her eyes.

"Yelling, you mean. You're not _talking_ to me. You're yelling at me like I'm some kind of animal! I don't know how much of this I can take anymore."

Mako glared at her, not even caring that Korra was crying. "Fine. Leave, Korra. I don't even care anymore. We're through."

She brushed past Mako in a daze and grabbed the door knob, the cold metal, and Mako's hard stare freezing her there.

"I thought you loved me, Mako." She whispered, "I guess I was wrong." She turned the knob, and walked through the door.

Korra walked out of the arena and wandered slowly towards the steps. She sat down hard, sobs wracking her body.

She sighed. This had not been the first time that Mako and she had fought. In fact, this time was one out of dozens. But this fight, this one had been the worst. He had broken up with her, she realized. The truth came down hard on her and her heart felt like it was being crushed. He had a way of making her feel worthless, even more so than anybody else had. But he always had a way to draw her back to him. No matter how much he yelled at her, no matter how much they disagreed, she always came back.

She put her head in her hands and closed her eyes, not knowing what to do. Korra loved Mako. More than anyone else in her entire life, but they had been growing apart. The fights had been increasing, and most of them were about things that didn't even matter. She loved him, but recently, he made it hard to do it. Even Bolin had started to notice.

One day, he had found her in the exact same place she was now, crying. She couldn't even tell him what was wrong. He had held her for hours, crying into his shoulder. She realized that that's what Mako should've been doing. Holding her, comforting her. But instead, it had been his brother, her best friend, hugging her to him. She had loved him holding her.

Korra snapped out of her daze to the clacking of metal on concrete. She looked up slowly, seeing Chief Beifong in front of her, looking at her sadly. She stared at her tear stained cheeks, and lowered herself down to the steps, sitting next to Korra.

She stared ahead for a while, and then started speaking slowly. "I know how it feels. I've been there before."

Korra stared at her, dumbfounded, "W-What do you mean?"

A small smile crept onto her face. "I think you know what I'm talking about. At least, I don't think you're crying because the city is in complete peace."

Korra sighed and looked down at her shoes. "That obvious, huh? Mako and I had another fight."

"How bad?"

"The worst one we've ever had. He… He broke up with me." She dug her face back in her hands, tears starting to stream down her face again.

Lin reached over and put her arm around Korra's shoulders, rubbing her arm.

"I don't know what to do! I thought that with everything we've been through, we'd be together for the rest of our lives. He told me he loved me, Lin. He said he always had." Her voice broke on the last word, and her whole body shook with sobs.

"I know how you feel Korra." She said quietly, gazing off into the distance. "I was in the same situation years ago. Of course, you already know about me and Tenzin. We were in love. We'd spend all of our time together, even more than regular couples since our parents' spent so much time together. I loved him so much."

"If you loved him so much, what happened?"

"We grew apart. At least, that's what Tenzin told me." She laughed bitterly, "I loved Tenzin so much. But, we wanted different things. He wanted a family, a quiet life. I didn't want to change my life for a family. I wanted _adventure_. I wanted us to stay the same; I wanted us to be together, to maybe eventually get married later. I loved him, Korra, but he realized our differences sooner than I did. When he broke up with me, I was devastated. I knew that things had changed between us, but I didn't expect the break-up."

"How did you get over him?" Korra whispered.

"It took me years, Korra. You saw how I treated him when you got to Republic City. I missed him so much. It felt like a part of me was missing. But I realized something Korra, the only thing that would make things better, if it was only a little relief."

She looked up and stared at Lin and responded softly, "What?"

"You need to let him go Korra. Just let him go."

Korra parted her mouth slightly, not sure what to say.

"I know you love Mako, Korra. I understand that completely. But there are men out there, better men, who will love you. Bolin, for example. I can see how much he cares about you Korra. How much _he_ loves you. I waited too late to let go, but you still have time Korra. You need to let go, and move on. Do you understand?"

She sighed, wiping away the remaining tears from her face. "I do. It's just hard."

Lin leaned closer to her and hugged her hard. Korra leaned into it, relishing the feeling of someone comforting her. She didn't realize how much she had missed things like this. Someone hugging her, just because.

Korra sighed, "But I think I know what to do."

"And what is that?"Lin asked, concealing her smile. She knew that Korra would choose the right thing.

"I'm going to let go."

Korra felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her heart, like she could finally breathe comfortably without it hurting. This time, she had hope.


	2. Chapter 2

Bolin shuffled along the hallway to him and Mako's apartment absolutely exhausted. It had been another tough day at practice. The team had been getting better, of course, but it wasn't the same without Mako and Korra. His teammates were okay benders, good even, but there wasn't a connection between them yet. With Mako and Korra, it had been almost like he could read their minds during a match. Bolin knew when to move, when to strike. It was like they were all in sync.

He missed his old team.

He reached the door to the apartment and opened the door quietly, thinking that Mako would be asleep already.

"Bo?" Mako sat up from the couch, rubbed his eyes, and looked at Bolin standing in the doorway.

"Hey, bro. I thought you'd be asleep by now. I thought you had to work in the morning." Bolin put his stuff down by the door and glanced back up at Mako, this time, more carefully. His eyes were red and puffy. Tears stained his cheeks.

"Mako, what's wrong?" Bolin asked, walking over to the couch to sit next to his brother.

Mako's slouched forward and looked down at the ground dejectedly.

"It's Korra," he whispered. "Bo, I really messed things up this time."

A tear ran down Mako's face and he put his hands over his eyes. Bolin stared at his brother, not sure what to do. He had never seen Mako cry. Mako had always been the one to comfort Bolin, even when their parents died. Bolin hadn't seen him cry once.

"Mako, I'm sure it wasn't that bad. You and Korra have had fights before. You two will make-up and everything will be alright again."

Bolin's throat tightened and he looked forward, trying to avoid Mako's gaze. He knew how much his brother loved Korra, but if he was being honest with himself, Bolin still had feelings for her. More than any girl he had ever liked.

"Bo, you don't understand. I-I broke up with her. She's the only girl I've ever loved, and I broke up with her! I'm such a damn idiot!"

Bolin's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He knew that he should be comforting his brother, telling him that he was sorry, telling him that things would work out. But he didn't.

He realized that he was _happy_. He was happy that they had broken up. But he also felt an overwhelming amount of guilt pile down on him, weighing his heart down. Here his brother was, crying, and here Bolin was, jubilant at the thought that the one thing that made him happy was over. Bolin wished that the feeling would go away, but he knew it wouldn't any time soon.

"Mako. Oh gosh, I'm so sorry." Bolin lifted his arm and rubbed the back of his neck, not sure what to say.

"Everything will be-"

Mako stood up abruptly and glared at his brother, tears in his eyes. "No, Bolin. Everything will not be okay! I just let go of the best thing that has ever happened to me." He dropped down to the floor and put his face into his hands. "The best thing that _will_ ever happen to me."

Bolin got up and squat down next to his brother, and tried to put his arm around Mako's shaking shoulders.

"Bro, it's alright-"

"No. No! It's sure as hell not alright!" Mako roughly pushed Bolin away.

"Just leave me alone."

Bolin blinked in surprise. He had never talked to him like that.

"Fine." Bolin grabbed a bag and some clothes and headed to the door. Maybe he could stay at Air Temple Island until Mako calmed down.

"But just so you know, I'm always here for you. No matter what."

He closed the door gently behind him, and all the sobs that Mako had been holding in for so long erupted from his throat. He pulled his legs up to his chest and hugged them to his body.

"Korra, I am so so sorry," He whispered to himself. "You deserve so much better than me."

Mako stayed like that for the rest of the night, wondering how he could ever be so stupid.

* * *

Looks like Mako's pretty upset about the break-up... I wonder what he would think of Bolin's feelings for Korra. Also, we get to see something from Bolin and Mako's POV! Please R&R! :)


	3. Chapter 3

_The cold water lapped up against Korra's legs and made her shiver. She stood in the ocean, next to Avatar Aang Memorial Island. The statue was huge, its shadow towering over her, stretching for miles. She felt small, microscopic even._

"_Hello?" She out in a small voice._

_Mako appeared behind her and smiled bitterly. "Hi Korra." His voice was steely, his expression filled with immeasurable anger and the smallest hint of betrayal._

_She was surprised at the tone of his voice. It was hurtful. He had never spoken to her like that, even when he was mad at her._

_Korra's voice shook as she spoke, she avoided his gaze. "Mako, are you okay?_

_He laughed darkly. "'Are you okay?'" he mimicked her._

"_What a stupid question to ask. I think you know the answer."_

"_Actually, no, I don't. Mako, I have _no _idea what you're talking about. You're the one who broke up with me. I should be the one who's not okay."_

_He smiled down at her and slowly stepped towards her._

"_You little bitch. You're saying that I should feel bad for poor little Avatar Korra? Ha-ha. Not likely."_

_Suddenly someone wrapped their arms around her waist from behind, capturing her in a warm embrace. Korra thrashed around trying to see her captor._

"_Shh. Shh. Korra, it's me. You'll be okay." Korra would recognize that voice anywhere. She instantly calmed and leaned against Bolin's comforting body._

_Mako was still walking towards her._

"_Looks like you've been messing around with my little brother. And you thought _I _should feel bad for _you_." Hurt flickered across this face, but was quickly replaced by relentless anger._

"_Mako, no, me and Bolin are just friends…"_

_Flames danced around his fingertips. Korra tried to get Bolin to drop his arms and move. Mako was really starting to scare her, which was strange. She had never felt this feeling towards Mako, not ever._

_Her heart pounded, and she tried to pry Bolin's fingers off her waist. His grip was iron tight._

"_It's okay, Korra. You're safe with me."_

_Mako disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, leaving no trace that he had even been there. The sun that had been behind Aang's statue came out and bathed both her and Bolin in sunlight._

"_You're safe with me." Bolin whispered in her ear and leaned forward and planted a kiss on her neck._

"_I will always love you."_

_Then, he disappeared._

* * *

Korra bolted up in bed, sweating. Her head pounded and her whole body shook, not just with fear, but with pleasure.

She ran a hand through her hair and looked out the window. The rain was pounding the island, and wind whistled through the trees.

She swung her legs out of bed and stood up. There was a sharp pain in her chest and she sat down hard on the bed. She put her head in her hands and noticed it. The sharp, pulsing emptiness in her chest. It ached. It felt as if a piece of her heart had been stolen from her. A vital piece. She missed Mako.

She heard a soft tap on her door and looked up to see Bolin standing in the doorway of her room. He smiled softly at her.

Korra got up and ran towards her best friend, throwing herself at him. Bolin gripped her tight, almost as if, Korra thought, that he was holding the pieces of her shattered heart together.

"Bo? What are you doing here?" She spoke, muffled by Bolin's jacket.

"I… I needed a place to sleep tonight."

"Last time I checked, you had an apartment."

He looked down and played with the edge of his shirt. "Mako needed some… space."

Her heart deflated, and her tears threatened to make a reappearance.

"So, you heard huh?"

"Yea, I heard." Korra gazed quizzically at him. She wondered why he wasn't asking any questions. Why he wasn't pegging her with question after question about things she didn't want to talk about. There was no silence. And not an awkward silence, only a comforting one.

Korra rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. He put his arm around her and squeezed gently.

"I'm sorry Korra."

He spoke into her hair in a soft, loving voice, "You know I'm always hear for you, right? No matter what."

He moved his other arm around Korra and pulled her to his chest. Korra flinched. This kind of touch felt alien to her, solely because it wasn't Mako. But she liked it.

She melted into him and sighed.

"Didn't think you'd be spending your night like this, did you?"

Bolin chuckled, "I wouldn't have it any other way. Mako's a stupid jerk for giving you up." His expression turned to anger.

"I still don't know why he did it. He didn't deserve you in the first place. He was an ass to you. Especially when he was with Asami. And I know that's not a very nice thing to say since I'm his brother, but I'm tired of it, of him. You deserve the whole world and all the stars."

Korra shifted uncomfortably. She didn't even know Bolin felt like that. Tears streamed down her face, and she looked ahead. Everything Bolin had said was true, and she was just now realizing this. She leaned back against Bolin and closed her eyes, feeling at peace for the first time since her break-up with Mako.

Bolin's touch was the bandage to her festering and aching heart.

* * *

Hi guys! I'm so sorry for posting this chapter so late! I promise I'll be more consistent with my other updates. Also, I apologize if you don't like fluff. This chapter consisted is primarily fluff... Hahaha. Please review and follow! Let me know what you think! :)


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